sca-cooks Transport of Foodstuffs

[Philip W. Troy]

Jeffrey Miller wrote:
> 
> I've noticed the avoidence of "new world" foodstuffs, but my
> understanding of history was that Europeans were visiting the "new
> world" before 1600 (1492 comes to mind for some biazzare reason -wasn't
> some viking sailing around then? =8^) Is it that the exportation of
> foodstuffs to Europe didn't begin until after period? My knowledge of
> late 15/16/17th centuries is more than a little rusty...
> 
> -Eogan-

Dates of common acceptance / usage of the various New World foods vary
per food and accoring to European location they were introduced to. For
example, the sweet potato is believed to be reasonably in period. The
white potato is questionable, depending on where you are and who you
talk to, but it was accepted in Germany and Ireland long before it was
everyday food in, say, France.

In general, it's fairly safe to say that most of the New World imports
really didn't take hold through most of Europe till after 1600.

Sometime I'll post, if anyone's interested, a pretty funny story of the
French botanist who was instrumental in getting the white potato
accepted in France (19th century). 

Adamantius